Office of the Commissioner

The Office of the Commissioner provides timely and objective strategic advice and executive support to the Commissioner and the Senior Executive.

The Office of the Commissioner is comprised of the following units:

Strategic Policy & Planning Branch

Strategic Planning Unit

The Strategic Planning Unit is located within the Office of the Commissioner and reports to the Assistant Director, Strategic Policy and Planning Branch.

The functions of the Strategic Planning Unit are to:

• Prepare the QPS Strategic Plan, Strategic Priorities, and Operational Plan.
• Conduct the annual Senior Executive Strategic Day.
• Prepare quarterly strategic performance reports for the Senior Executive.
• Develop QPS Vision 2020 in consultation with all levels of the organisation.
• Prepare the QPS Guide to Planning.
• Assist regions, commands and corporate service divisions to prepare planning documents to maximise effectiveness and efficiency of service provision. 
• Coordinate the Service's response to State and local government regional planning initiatives.
• Develop the QPS Environmental Scan.
• Conduct the State-Wide Activity Survey (SWAS) biannually. The SWAS provides for the periodic and regular assessment of the allocation of policing resources to particular policing activities. The survey results are used by the Service to calculate and report annual expenditure for each of its services as outlined in the QPS Operational Plan.
• Facilitate the conduct of the Crime Victim Survey to determine the satisfaction of victims of crime with the police services provided.
• Facilitate the conduct of the National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing to identify community satisfaction with policing services and perceptions of safety.
• Produce, and monitor the impact of, the Client Service Charter, which conveys to the public of Queensland the nature and quality of service that is to be delivered by the QPS.
• Represent the Service on various planning committees and forums.

Corporate Reporting Unit

The Corporate Reporting unit is responsible for the preparation of the Service's corporate reports and coordination of the estimates process. This includes the collation, review and editing of the Service's activity and performance information.

The unit has a strong focus on continuous improvement, and is working to improve the quality and usefulness of our reports, as well as to streamline and improve the information gathering processes.

Policy Unit

The Strategic Policy Unit provides strategic policy advice to the Police Commissioner and coordinates policy development across the Service.  The unit has a leading role in identifying current and emerging issues.  Providing strategic direction on issues of importance to the Service and to the Government ensures a consistent whole-of-Service approach which reflects the Government's policy priorities.

The Policy Unit monitors international, national, state and regional policies that may impact on policing in Queensland.  At a national level, this involves briefing the Commissioner and the Minister on national agendas, and participation in national bodies.

At the State level, the Unit:

• prepares policy advice for the Commissioner on a range of policing and social issues;
• supports the Senior Executive Conference in its role of providing strategic direction to the Service;
• coordinates policy development of Service-wide initiatives; and
• negotiates with other government departments.

From a regional perspective, the unit consults the regions on policy and planning issues and monitors policy initiatives.

Legislation Development Unit

The Legislation Development Unit is responsible for the development of new primary and subordinate legislation or amending the legislation that is the administrative responsibility of the Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services. The Legislation Development Unit also provides advice on new or amending legislation proposed by other Government Departments that may impact on the operation of the Queensland Police Service.

Strategic Performance Branch

Cultural Advisory Unit

The role of the Unit is to:

• develop and maintain effective relationships between members of the Queensland Police Service, ethnic and Indigenous communities; and
• promote understanding within the Queensland Police Service of cultural diversity in contemporary Australian society, through input into recruitment, education, training, policy development and procedures.

The Cultural Advisory Unit’s key objectives are to:

• ensure Queensland Police Service policies and programs are culturally appropriate and equitable;
• provide advice and support to the Commissioner and Senior Executive Officers on matters relating to ethnic and Indigenous policing issues;
• identify and provide advice on trends and emerging issues of concern to police, ethnic and Indigenous communities; and
• provide ongoing support to operational police and other Service personnel.

Project Portfolio Unit

The Project Management Unit is responsible for:

• providing independent advice to the QPS Investment Governance Board on the governance of projects;
• ensuring alignment of projects with the QPS strategic plan;
• undertaking critical analyses of QPS significant project management plans;
• assessing benefits forecasts to ensure they are robust and realisable and monitoring benefits over time;
• providing high quality strategic and operational advice to ensure departmental processes and procedures adhere with the whole of government project management guidelines;
• reviewing major QPS projects at various stages for compliance with project governance policies and standards; and
• fostering strategic relationships with project stakeholders to ensure professional standards and practices are achieved.

Operational Assistance Team

The aim of the Operational Assistance Unit (OAU) is to build on gains achieved since the introduction of OPRs in 2001, particularly in the area of promoting continuous improvement.

The Unit will focus on what works, what doesn’t work and what looks promising, and will place a strong emphasis on the adoption of evidence based policing practice.

OAU will:

• promote the operational relevance of research, developing a knowledge base specifically designed to inform policing practice within the Queensland context;
• identify and research issues of current or emerging interest for policing; and
• provide assistance to regions to develop solutions to local problems.

OAU also administers the:

• Problem Solving database;
• Problem Solving funding; and
• Commissioner's Suggestion Box.

Operational Performance Review Unit

The goal of this unit is to facilitate the development and implementation of the Operational Performance Reviews (OPRs) within the Queensland Police Service.  In order to achieve these goals, OPRs have been established to focus attention on operational performance, improve operational effectiveness and encouraging the development of continuous improvement by:

• promoting best practice;
• meeting community expectations;
• encouraging contemporary HR management philosophies; and
• promote professional standards and ethical practices.

The objectives of the unit are:

• The development, preparation, formulation and presentation of information related to OPRs;
• To provide support and advice to the Commissioner and members of the Senior Executive of the Service on the implementation and future development of OPRs;
• To provide support and advice to the Regions, Districts, Commands, Divisions or other organisational units in relation to the preparation for, conduct of, and follow-up from their OPRs;
• To identify issues which emerge through the OPRs that require action by the Service, and ensure such follow-up action is taken by the appropriate Region, District, Command, Division or organisational unit;
• To promote the development and implementation of innovative policing or support activities which improve the performance of Regions, Districts, Commands, Divisions or other organisational units; and
• To work with other police jurisdictions in further developing and enhancing performance management in a policing environment.

Business Analysis Unit

In 2008 the Service Delivery and Performance Commission (SDPC) delivered its Report on the Service Delivery and Performance Management Review of the Queensland Police Service. The Report recommended that to improve its service delivery, the Service needed to undertake a number of actions including, "to increase its capacity in demand measurement …." (SDPC Report, p.4.)

In December 2009, the Office of the Commissioner established a Business Analysis Unit as part of its new structure, in keeping with the recommendations of the SDPC Report. The changes to the structure of the Office of the Commissioner were endorsed by Board of Management on 16 December 2009.

In February 2010, the QPS Board of Management noted that the Business Analysis Unit had been established within the Office of the Commissioner to progress work to improve the Service’s understanding and management of service demand and supply.

Initially the focus of the unit’s work will be in the area of operational service delivery. The business processes of the unit will include:

• Scanning: an annual process which will identify potential areas for demand management focus;
• Scoping: a process to develop the initial objectives, parameters and potential outcomes of each project under consideration;
• Assessment: a process to assess the demand management "attractiveness" of each potential project area, as measured by the business value of each project and the technical feasibility of undertaking the project;
• Prioritization: a process whereby, following the first three steps, the BAU program of work is defined for the next financial year;
• Data Collection: the process of sourcing and cleansing appropriate data related to each project;
• Data Analysis: the process of collating and interpreting the data for each project;
• Identifying Opportunities: the process of understanding the demand drivers and potential levers for a range of demand reduction strategies for each project;
• Options Analysis: the process of modelling various options for service delivery based on the data set for each project; and
• Product Handover: the process of providing a final BAU product on each project which will contain findings and the evidence base for a range of possible decisions concerning policy direction changes and operational practice changes for each project area.

The Executive Services Unit and the Cabinet Legislation and Liaison Office are administered by the Office of the Commissioner but report directly to the Commissioner.

Cabinet Legislation and Liaison Office (CLLO)

The CLLO assists Cabinet Services, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, in the effective functioning and operations of Cabinet, Executive Council, and legislative and parliamentary systems.

The CLLO:

• manages the Cabinet and legislative functions of the department in an effective manner through the provision of advice on Cabinet and Parliamentary procedures and processes, coordination of the department's Cabinet business and legislative program, and the conduct of training on departmental Cabinet procedures;
• reviews and critically evaluates, Cabinet submissions and briefing notes to ensure quality, relevance and appropriateness and that such documents have been developed in accordance with government guidelines;
• communicates decisions arising from Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings to relevant departmental officers in accordance with government guidelines, and monitor the agency's implementation of those decisions;
• coordinates and provides policy advice and options on matters relating to executive government, Cabinet, Parliament, and public administration issues; and
• coordinates and provides executive services support to the Commissioner, and where appropriate, the Minister, on Cabinet and Parliamentary proposals.

Executive Services Unit

The Executive Services Unit provides support for the functioning of various Service and inter-jurisdictional forums, and manages the preparation of ministerial briefings and correspondence.